The Reveille 10-28-19

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LSU rises to No. 1 after win over Auburn

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page 2 ALYSSA BERRY / The Reveille

NEWS

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LSU student’s tweet about 2016 alleged stalker’s reappearance gains attention among students and University response.

SPORTS

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LSU offense ignites after big hit to quarterback Joe Burrow in the second quarter against Auburn.

ENTERTAINMENT

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Elektra Cosmetics creates easy to use and plant-based eco-friendly glitters for game day, festival looks.

OPINION

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“This effectively means that K-12 students in Louisiana receive no form of sex education other than spiels about abstinence.”


L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le

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LSU offense makes adjustments to defeat No. 9 Auburn at home BY BRANDON ADAM @badam___ LSU football senior quarterback Joe Burrow said LSU can win 7-6 or 70-62. On Saturday, LSU won 23-20 against Auburn. It was the lowest scoring output for LSU all season. The Tigers were held scoreless in a quarter for only the second time this season. Burrow said Auburn came out in a new defense LSU hadn’t seen all year. Junior center Lloyd Cushenberry described Auburn’s defense as an odd front, which means it lined up both its defensive ends on the outside shoulder of the guards and the nose tackle over the center. Instead of playing linebackers in between the ends and the nose tackle, Auburn stacked both linebackers behind the center, giving its defense a single-column look in the middle. It was a way for Auburn to limit LSU’s passing game in the middle of the field while dropping more defenders in coverage. With the extra defenders deep, Auburn was able to double both junior wide receiver Justin Jefferson and sophomore wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Burrow was 8-of-9 passing for 42 yards in the first quarter, but none of his passes were longer than 10 yards due to Auburn’s pass rush. LSU didn’t throw downfield until Burrow’s 12th pass with 13:09 remaining in the second quarter. On the next play, Auburn abandoned the defensive look, switching to an over-guard, even front, according to Cushenberry. Burrow connected with Chase on a crossing route for a gain of 19 yards and a contested back-shoulder pass to Chase for

Auburn on a four-play, 45-yard touchdown drive that solely featured runs by Edwards-Helaire. “I got on the headset, and [offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger] and [passing game coordinator Joe Brady] said let’s just pound it on this drive,” Burrow said. “We’re just going to run the ball, and see if they can stop it. The o-line and [junior tight end Thaddeus Moss] did a great job up front, and Clyde made everybody miss.” Once Edwards-Helaire began moving the ball, Auburn rarely returned to its original defense, instead opting for more of a traditional nickel defense with four down lineman and two linebackers. In the second half, LSU ran the ball 29 times for 158 yards and two touchdowns. Burrow kept the ball for a seven-yard touchdown on LSU’s final touchdown to give the Tigers a 23-13 lead in the fourth quarter, and Edwards-Helaire finished with 26 carries for 136 yards and his one touchdown along with seven catches for 51 yards. Burrow credited EdwardsHelaire for opening up the passing game. The senior quarterback finished Saturday’s game with 321 yards, a touchdown and an interception on 32-of-42 passing. LSU totaled 508 yards of offensive and 30 first downs against a defense that was considered to be one of the top units in the country. “I don’t know what their gameplan was, so I guess they were trying to stop the pass,” Cushenberry said about LSU’s rushing attack in the second half. “We felt like we could get moving on the double teams and the backers weren’t really shooting gaps. We just adjusted on the sidelnes and got things going.”

gain sof 27 yards on consecutive plays respectively. The four-play series was capped off with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Burrow to sophomore wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. “We thought we could win our one-on-ones,” said LSU coach Ed Orgeron. “We had some batted balls with the slants. Those guys were getting their hands up. I thought the play Ja’Marr Chase made on the sidelines was a phenomenal catch. We felt he could win his one-on-ones, and he did most of them. “Now we threw the pick, probably went to it one too many times, but I think that opened up the game a little bit by Ja’Marr Chase beating those guys one-on-one.” Auburn went back to its original defense on the next series and LSU was able to find some success with passes underneath, but the Auburn defense stiffened and stopped LSU on fourth-and-one. With Auburn focused on limiting Chase and loading his side of the field, LSU had success with the short-passing game on its next possession, but settled for a 20-yard field goal before halftime. “They were putting a lot of people over [on Chase’s side] and were giving us easy throws to the field on slants,” Burrow said. “Then we figured out in the second half, what if we started running the ball?” It took some time after halftime for LSU to get going. LSU came up short on fourth-andgoal from the two-yard line and Burrow threw and interception, but then LSU’s run game led by junior running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire asserted itself. LSU took a 16-13 lead over

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How LSU and Auburn lined up on LSU’s first offensive play.

LSU jumps Alabama for No. 1 in AP poll BY BRANDON ADAM @badam___ LSU (8-0, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) grabbed its third top-10 football win over the season in a 23-20 victory over No. 9 Auburn (6-2, 3-2 SEC) on Saturday. The big win was enough for LSU to jump Alabama (8-0, 5-0 SEC) for the No. 1 spot in the AP poll. The Tigers became the first team in modern history with three wins over top-10 ranked teams (No. 9 Texas, No. 7 Florida, No. 9 Auburn) through its first eight games. While Alabama received more first place votes (21) than LSU (17), the Tigers edged out the Tide with 1,476 points to 1,474. “I just know we’re 8-0,” said LSU coach Ed Orgeron, who improved to 8-3 against top-10 teams with all three losses coming against Alabama. “We won a football game, and that’s out of our hands. I don’t look at that stuff. The rankings matter when it comes down to the playoff time, and we’ve got to control what we can control and let it happen.” LSU can add a fourth top-10 win in two weeks when the Tigers travel to Alabama on Nov. 9. It’s another No. 1 vs No. 2 game between Alabama and LSU, the third time this decade. This is the first time LSU has been ranked No. 1 since 2011. In 2011, No. 1 LSU defeated No. 2 Alabama 9-6 in the regular season, but the Crimson Tide won 21-0 in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game. Since then Alabama has dominated LSU, winning eight straight over the Tigers. Last season, No. 1 Alabama defeated No. 3 LSU 29-0, which is the second time Alabama blanked LSU since 2012. “I think we’re a much better football team than last year,” said LSU senior quarterback Joe Burrow. “I think we’re a lot more explosive, I think our defense is starting to click on all cylinders and I’m excited to get back to practice this week and fine tune some things we have been not so good at.” Burrow leads an LSU offense that is one of the best in the country. The Tigers average 46.8 points per game, and Burrow is second in the nation in passing yards (2,805) and touchdowns (30) and third in the nation with a passer rating of 204.5. The official College Football Playoff poll drops on Nov. 5. The playoff poll, selected by the playoff committee, decides which four teams will play in the playoff. LSU has debuted in the top four twice – 2015 and 2019 – but lost to Alabama immediately after

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NEWS Scheduling season in CREEPING CONCERN full swing

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ACADEMICS

Student tweet about alleged 2016 stalker’s reappearance gains attention

BY KIMSEY STEWART @KimseyStewart Political science and international studies senior Tatiana Gonzalez tweeted on Wednesday she encountered the man on campus who stalked her and other female students in 2016. According to Gonzalez, LSUPD was unhelpful when she contacted them. “Today I called LSU Police because the guy who stalked me and these other girls my freshman year is back on campus and he recognized me,” Gonzalez said. “Instead of LSU police actively starting an investigation on him, they told me to look up more information and to try and get his name.” Wednesday Abiel Mark Khatami, the man Gonzalez saw on campus in 2016, was arrested for stalking allegations. Khatami is now a student at the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center. LSU Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard said LSUPD does not have a record of Gonzalez’s report of stalking. “We are trying to get her in touch with LSUPD,” Ballard said. “There may have been some misunderstanding going on. We certainly want to clear the situation up.” On Friday, @LSU responded to Gonzalez’s tweet, encouraging her to direct message her contact information so University officials could address the situation.

According to Ballard, the University’s social media team also provided a specific LSUPD contact to Gonzalez. Ballard confirmed Khatami was arrested on stalking allegations in 2016. Because Khatami had not been court ordered to stay off campus, he is not in violation of any laws by being on campus, Ballard said. Gonzalez said she never filed a report with LSUPD in 2016 because she didn’t initially realize Khatami had been stalking her. Communication studies senior Victoria Kennedy lived in South Hall during her freshman year in 2016, at the same time as Gonzalez. Kennedy said Khatami entered classes and libraries in South Hall where he would sit and watch while students worked, making them feel uncomfortable. “South Hall is a residential complex strictly for freshmen,” Kennedy said. “We were a pretty tight knit community, so we knew when someone walking around wasn’t a resident. After a while, everyone was becoming very cautious about the unwelcome stranger.” Kennedy said she was warned Khatami was stalking some female students and that he had chased two female students into the dorm and up the stairs. He was then caught and banned from entering South Hall, according to Kennedy. Gonzalez said she was worried about freshmen’s safety when she

for spring

BY ANNA JONES @annajoneses

port with LSUPD on Wednesday, despite Ballard’s statement to the Reveille that LSUPD had no record of the report. Gonzalez said she does not want any female University student to be harrassed when preventative steps could be taken by campus authorities. “Multiple women have reached out to me with similar stories of the authorities dismissing their concerns,” Gonzalez said. “We now have a saying on campus‘See Something, Say Something.’ Us women are seeing something and we are trying to do something but authorities aren’t taking us seriously.”

Scheduling season officially began, leaving many University students waiting in front of their laptops, eagerly refreshing the scheduling page. Chemical engineering junior Jacob Danklefsen is one of these students, planning his schedule in advance so he can enter his choices in the computer right at 5 p.m. on the date he schedules. “I’ve had problems with the website crashing,” Danklefsen said. “But when it works correctly, I’ve never had a problem getting the classes I want because I’m in the honors college.” Danklefsen’s position in the Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College means he will get the second-highest scheduling priority, after spring and summer graduate candidates. Scheduling priorities are determined based on a student’s number of credit hours completed and currently in progress, according to the University Registrar website. Spring 2020 priority scheduling information is available in the scheduling booklet. The only scheduling category not based on hours is reserved

see STALKING, page 4

see SCHEDULING, page 4

BELLA BIONDINI / The Reveille

South Hall sits in the Residential College Complex on LSU’s Campus on Monday, Jan. 28, 2019. saw Khatami on campus again. “It’s really terrifying that he is back,” Gonzalez said. “I’m very concerned he is going to do the same thing to another dorm.” Gonzalez said she is “disgusted” with how authorities handled the situation and said LSUPD would not take a report from her until she had called three times. After she complained about how the situation was handled, Gonzalez said LSUPD asked her to go to the station. Gonzalez said she talked to three different people when she arrived at the station. “Unfortunately, I think they have followed all the protocol they could,” Gonzalez said. “I even had my dean talk to them.” Gonzalez said she did file a re-

STUDENT LIFE

LSU’s legendary ‘albino’ squirrel still spotted around campus BY NICK FREWIN @itsnickfrewin Walking around campus, it’s hard to miss the squirrels that call LSU their home. But only a few students spotted the “albino” squirrel rumored to reside on campus. “I must have seen the squirrel a few weeks ago near Middleton,” sports administration freshman Zach Jenkins said. “It was a lot lighter than any other squirrel I’ve seen around here.” The lack of students who have seen the squirrel in recent years made the albino squirrel a myth to some. “Nobody else I told about it had seen it before,” Jenkins said. According to Jonathan Nations, an undergraduate student employed at the LSU Museum of Natural Science, the squirrel being described is actually considered to be Isabelline colored, not albino. A squirrel that has albinism wouldn’t produce melanin any-

where on its body or eyes, rendering it completely pale white, Nations said. The “albino” squirrel some students see around campus has a lighter fur coloring than other squirrels, but has the same eye color as a regular squirrel, causing Nations to deduce that it is not an albino squirrel. “This coloration is not a partially albinistic variant, rather it is a type of pigment dilution whereby there is substantial but not complete reduction in melanin caused by genetic mutation,” Nations said. “Isabelline dilution is marked by a uniform reduction in melanin. The result of this genetic mutation is an individual that looks ‘washed out’,” according to a 2012 study done by researchers on Isabelline coloration in squirrels. The incorrect identification of the squirrel has occurred on campus since 2012 when a Facebook group, “The Albino Squirrel At LSU,” was created and featured a picture of a squirrel that looks similar to the Isabelline squirrel

seen around campus recently. Another species of squirrel that is common in Louisiana is a fox squirrel, which Nations believes is the species of squirrel that the Isabelline squirrel seen around campus is. The most common species of squirrel on campus, the eastern gray squirrel, usually has a lifespan of 15-20 years. However, a squirrel with a lighter pigment could have a shorter lifespan than average, according to Nations. One problem the Isabelline squirrel could face on campus is increased risk of predators due to its more visible fur tone. “It would probably, for a full albino squirrel, be more susceptible to predators, like owls and things like that, just because they are so visible,” Nations said. There may still be an albino squirrel that has eluded the attention of students and staff on campus, but it seemingly has been an Isabelline squirrel that has been reported so far.

COURTESY OF JAMES OUBRE


Monday, October 28, 2019

page 4 SCHEDULING, from page 3 for Honors College students, like Danklefsen, as well as student athletes, disabled, military and veteran students. On Oct. 20, at 5 p.m., spring and summer graduate candidates began creating their final University schedule. Scheduling continues daily until Nov. 8, when the last crop of students, those with less than 14 hours completed, will be able to select whatever courses are left for their schedules. University Registrar Clay Benton said it’s important to keep top-tier groups exclusive and reserved for students who need it. “One of the reasons we spread it out is because there’s nothing worse than when a student logs in and can’t get the course they want,” Benton said. “We know that panic.” Some groups are mandated to be given scheduling priorities, such as students with disabilities. Other groups have petitioned and been awarded that status. “We are very careful with what groups we put in advanced priorities because we want to make sure we aren’t disenfranchising members of certain groups,” Benton said. Degree candidates comprise the largest category by a large margin, Benton said. Previously, degree candidates had second

priority below the athletes, veterans and disabled students. The system recently changed in an effort to ensure graduating students could schedule the classes they needed. Each scheduling tier beyond the degree candidates pool encompasses about 1,500 to 3,000 students. Reducing the number of students in each tier and spreading out scheduling dates over several weeks has helped reduce website crashing issues in recent years. Students may also notice their MyLSU inbox filling up with notifications reminding them of their scheduling date. While some might dismiss the mass emails, Benton said this is another solution to scheduling website crashes. “One of the things we’ve tried is sending multiple notifications telling them to please not access the system,” Benton said. “Students still slow down the system when they try to schedule and it’s not their allotted time.” Although students may have to wait a few minutes past their exact time slot to schedule, the website usually loads in a few minutes. Benton said this is a huge improvement from prior years. Benton said the most highdemand classes appear to be science, music and art labs that meet in confined workspaces.

STALKING, from page 3

ALYSSA BERRY / The Reveille

LSU student browses the University’s schedule booklet. But there’s still hope for students who need these exclusive, tactile experiences through the relatively recent introduction of wait lists. “We have had students who have issues getting courses, but introducing wait lists has helped a lot,” Benton said. “It really does work.” Wait lists also help maintain seniority, because upperclassmen still have the opportunity to get a high-demand class above incoming freshmen. Before the wait list system, students would have to wait an-

other semester for the course offerings or go to that class during the first week of school and hope for an empty seat. “We always tell people on the wait list to be patient and hang tight,” Benton said. Textiles, apparel and merchandising sophomore Carmen Brand said she always experiences success with the wait list system. “I have been wait listed, but I always get the class at the very last minute, even if it’s right before the semester starts,” Brand said. “I’ve never had trouble getting the classes I needed.”

Gonzalez said she was surprised at how much attention her tweets have gotten. Gonzalez’s tweet received over 1,000 likes, and multiple comments from Twitter users, especially female University students. Screen arts senior Sicily Wafer said she was also made uncomfortable by Khatami when she was a freshman. “I remember getting straight stared at and followed by this dude when I was a freshman (I don’t know) how he’s still doing this,” Wafer tweeted. Marketing senior Colleen Ball tweeted about her experience with an unrelated stalking incident, and said she had positive interactions with LSUPD. “When I had issues (with) stalking when I lived on campus LSUPD helped me out a lot and watched out around my dorm and all,” Ball said. Ballard reiterated LSUPD’s commitment to ensuring the safety of all University students, including female students. “We want LSU students to feel comfortable and safe on campus,” Ballard said. The Reveille contacted Abiel Mark Khatami, but he declined to speak futher on the topic, saying the 2016 case was expunged. When a case is expunged, the legal record of the case is sealed.

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SPORTS JACKED UP!

page 5 BASEBALL

Big hit on Burrow summarizes physical rivalry between LSU, Auburn

BY ALEXANDRA COX @alexandracox123 From earthquakes to barn fires, the Auburn and LSU matchup is a guaranteed fight to the end. Saturday’s football game was no different. Auburn came into Saturday not having beat LSU at Tiger Stadium since 1999. Auburn’s last victory in Baton Rouge was then-head coach Tommy Tuberville’s 45th birthday. After the victory, Auburn celebrated the win with victory cigars in the stadium, irritating LSU players and fans, becoming one of the most memorable moments in this rivalry. Looking to end that streak, No. 9 Auburn (6-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) came to Baton Rouge with arguably the best defense in the SEC, while some say No. 2 LSU (8-0, 4-0 SEC) had the best offense in the conference. Coming down to the last minute, per-usual, LSU escaped with a 23-20 win over Auburn, earning over 500 yards of total offense. LSU was led by Heisman front runner, Joe Burrow. Junior running back and Baton Rouge native, Clyde EdwardsHelaire had a game-high 136 rushing yards on 26 carries, helping led the Tigers to their 10th straight home win over the Auburn. While the game moved as

slowly as Tiger Stadium postgame traffic, it was filled with emotion and desire. Both Auburn and LSU battled back and forth, each team swapping the lead throughout the game. The two teams have been known to play physical in years past. Both LSU and Auburn struggled with penalties as Auburn had 15 for 98 yards and LSU had 12 for 118 yards. A few scuffles even broke out between the two teams. Burrow endured multiple big hits from Auburn, including a huge hit from defensive back Javaris Davis in the second quarter. “I didn’t get the wind knocked out of me this time, so that was good,” said Burrow when comparing it to the hit he took against UCF in the Fiesta Bowl last season. Burrow and the LSU offense bounced back. The senior quarterback completed 32-of42 passes for 321 yards and a touchdown to go along with a rushing touchdown and 31 yards on 13 carries. “I think a lesser team would not have won that game today,” said LSU coach Ed Orgeron, who improved to 8-3 against top-10 teams as LSU’s coach. “They came to play, and adversity hit us. We weren’t playing very well in the first half. They got up ahead, but our guys

see BURROW, page 6

LSU baseball beats UNO 4-3 in exhibition BY NATASHA MALONE @malone_natasha

AURIANNA CORDERO / The Reveille

LSU senior quarterback Joe Burrow (9) prepares to throw the ball during the Tigers game against Auburn on Oct. 26, at Tiger Stadium.

LSU defeated the University of New Orleans 4-3 in Sunday’s winning exhibition scrimmage. The pitching staff for the Tigers is looking to have a promising 2020 season after injuries harmed their season last year. After injuries to the pitching staff, LSU failed to reach its fullest potential during the 2019 baseball season, the Tigers are looking to keep a healthy staff moving forward. Sophomore pitchers Cole Henry, Landon Marceaux and AJ Labas are among the group of Tigers held back due to injuries. The Tigers are hoping to develop Marceaux and Henry into aces they have the potential to be. “Marceaux has had a really good fall,” said coach Paul Mainieri. “Cole has been the one who has been behind the other two so it was really good to see him have a good, crisp over powering inning like he did.” Henry, who was the Friday night starter for the LSU’s pitching staff for the duration of the season after Zack Hess was moved

see BASEBALL, page 6

SWIMMING & DIVING

LSU Diver Juan Celaya-Hernandez takes Olympic redshirt BY ELIZABETH CUI @Lizzie_cui With passion in his eyes, Juan Celaya-Hernandez talked about the possibility of his Olympic dream coming true. Celaya-Hernandez, a Mexico native, has fought his way to the top, not only of the NCAA, but the Mexican national ranks. With the 2020 Olympic Games around the corner, there is nothing but five colors on Celaya-Hernandez’s mind - blue, black, red, yellow and green. For athletes competing at a high level, the Olympic Games is the ultimate dream. Celaya-Hernandez, unlike most, has a real chance at achieving that dream. “It would be the accomplish-

ment of my dreams,” Celaya-Hernandez said. Celaya-Hernandez, 21, began his diving journey in June 2006. Athletics have now taken up over half of his life. At this point in his career, it becomes so much more than just a sport - it becomes a lifestyle, Celaya-Hernandez said. Celaya-Hernandez is in his senior season. His coach, Douglas Shaffer, and him made the decision to take an Olympic redshirt year. This means that he will not be competing in the collegiate season for the 2019-20 year. “It gives us the opportunity to spend all of his time on the events that he would potentially compete in,” Shaffer said. “Any time that we would be training one-meter springboard or 10-meter platform, we can dedicate to

refining his skills on the threemeter springboard.” In the sport of springboard and platform diving, in order for a country to send athletes to compete at the Games, each country has to earn its spots. There are approximately 130 spots across all events and genders to designate to countries. This means only 130 divers will compete at the Olympic Games out of the 7.53 billion people in the world. These spots are allocated by placing at certain worldclass competitions throughout the year of the Olympic Games, such as the World Championships and the World Cup competition. At the 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju, South Ko-

see HERNANDEZ, page 6

The Reveille Archives

Juan Celaya-Hernandez prepares to dismount the springboard at LSU Natatorium on Sept. 22, 2017.


page 6

Monday, October 28, 2019

BURROW, from page 5

HERNANDEZ, from page 5

kept fighting.” After LSU’s win Saturday, the Tigers are 8-0 heading into a bye week before traveling to Tusacaloosa for the ever-electric matchup with the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Tigers have not won a game against the Crimson Tide since 2011. Alabama has outscored LSU 193-73 in the eight games since the Tiger’s last win over the Crimson Tide. In that span, Alabama has shut LSU out three times.

Joe Burrow (9) during LSU’s 23-20 victory over Auburn on Oct. 26.

rea, Celaya-Hernandez earned a bronze medal in the three-meter synchronized event. This earned Mexico a spot in this event for the 2020 Olympic Games. This was a huge feat for Mexico and a confidence boost for Celaya-Hernandez leading up to the Games. “I was still speechless a week past that accomplishment,” Celaya-Hernandez said. “When we got the medal I said I still can’t believe we just did this.” Following the World Cham-

surgery, also had an inning of work and pitched himself out of a bases loaded jam in the first inning after sophomore center fielder Giovanni DiGiacomo made a great break on a fly ball that was placed in no-man’s land. “I would have loved to see AJ Labas be a lot more crisp like he has been all fall,” Mainieri said. “We are going to need contributions from a lot of guys on the mound. I think we have a chance to have a pretty good pitching staff.” Gavin Dugas, sophomore from Houma, Louisiana. was also among the group of Tigers who got hit with the injury bug last year and is looking to have a bounce-back season. After losing prominent players from the 2019 squad like Josh

Smith and Zach Watson, Dugas hopes to have a big impact in his sophomore campaign. Dugas is also in the process of switching from the infield to the outfield. “It’s definitely a big jump forward,” said Dugas. “I feel so much more comfortable this year.” Dugas started out swinging a hot bat for the Tigers, as he smashed a two-run homerun over the left field bleachers and out the stadium to extend the LSU lead to 3-0. Drew Bianco, another part of the Tigers No. 1 recruiting class from 2018, is looking to get his bat moving this season. Bianco hit a double down the third base line in the bottom of the seventh inning. LSU opens its 2020 regu-

BASEBALL, from page 5 to the bullpen, finished with a 4-2 record, and a 3.39 earned run average. He was held back due to elbow pain, which limited his action. Marceaux, the freshman phenom, moved from the weekend rotation to a midweek roll after inconsistentce with command and arm soreness. After a shaky start, Marceaux finished the season with a 5-2 record and a 4.66 ERA. Both Marceaux and Henry pitched an inning during Sunday’s scrimmage, and neither allowed a runner on base. Henry’s fastball velocity is up to around 95 m.p.h., Marceaux struck out the side. Labas, who missed the 2019 season because of a shoulder

ALYSSA BERRY / The Reveille

pionships in July, Celaya-Hernandez had a quick turn around and made his way to the PanAmerican Games in Lima, Peru, winning two gold medals and a silver. “Whether we’re at practice or at a meet he’s always in the zone,” said Dakota Hurbis, a junior on the LSU dive team. “Nobody trains or competes harder than Juan.” Shaffer is one of the most experienced coaches Celaya-Hernandez has had, and the LSU Tigers are like family to him, according to the potential Olympian.

Up next for Celaya-Hernandez is a series of international competitions and the Mexican national trials for the games. Celaya-Hernandez’s chances of qualifying are looking good and he is excited for the future. “I mean [Celaya-Hernandez chances of qualifying are] legit and very promising,” Shaffer said. The next Olympic qualifying competition for Celaya-Hernandez will be the 2020 FINA Diving World Cup in Tokyo from April 21-26.

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LSU sophomore outfielder Gavin Dugas (6) celebrates after hitting a home run during a 4-3 victory over UNO in Alex Box Stadium on Oct. 27.

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COMMUNICATION IS KEY

The Augmentative and Alternative Communication Clinic is the newest addition to Hatcher Hall BY ABBY KIBLER @abigaillk The Augmentative and Alternative Communication Clinic, or AAC, is the newest clinic to join Hatcher Hall in the department of communication sciences and disorders. The AAC started in June with Shannon Farho as the director. “AAC is an alternative way to communicate if you have either permanently or temporarily lost the ability to speak,” Daphne Hartzheim, assistant professor in the department of communication sciences and disorders, said. Farho highlighted that we use AAC and do not even know it. For example, we use it through facial expressions, gestures and pointing to things we like. We can also use it in a hightech way when using apps, technology that is able to use our eyes to communicate, and devices that are able to

speak for us. “This clinic will allow our graduate students a streamlined approach from coursework to clinical application,” Melissa Lalande, coordinator of clinical services, said. “Our students will learn to manage cases from the beginning, which is the initial evaluation, to the end, in which the device is delivered.” The variety of devices presented give patients a choice to see what is best suited for them. The devices have a high-tech program allowing them to send messages with their hands or eyes. Once they give their message to the device, the device speaks for them, and this allows them to have a voice again. Everyone who is a part of the clinic is so grateful to be there are incredibly dedicated to helping every single person that walks in the door. Graduate students are so excited to learn new things and help someone

LSU AAC clinical director Shannon Farho (top left), senior volunteer Brooke Holley (top right), graduate student Kristen Despommier (bottom left), graduate student Lilly Dang (bottom middle), and graduate student Anne Christian Ardoin (bottom right) pose for a photo in front of Hatcher Hall on Oct. 7.

new each day. “I need to be able to communicate with my husband to know his needs,” said one patient’s wife. “Plus, he has such a good sense of humor, and I still want him to be able to tell me those silly jokes. Now that we have come here, he will still be able to do that. The love we feel from everybody here is amazing. We feel so fortunate we found this place, and everyone made us feel right at home.” Volunteer Brooke Holley, said she realized that in our community, there is a group of people that do not have a voice, and she wanted to be a part of something that gave them a means of communication. She also added that even though she is an undergraduate, the AAC still allows her to participate and make a difference. “This clinic has really taught me how to be human and to love on people at the different phases of their life,”

Hannah Jumonville, a graduate student at the clinic, said. “It has been the most rewarding clinic and the most validating clinic because of how much we can really make a difference in these people’s lives.” Overall, Farho believes the vast majority of the public do not even know the whole spectrum of what AAC includes. She would like the community to know that AAC is just another way to communicate, and people should not be taken aback by it. Hartzheim and Farho agreed that they have improved their understanding of the funding process while at the clinic, and they are mentoring their students when interacting and working with patients. “I am very pleased with the group of these women who have been critical in the establishment of this clinic since June of this year,” Farho said.

LSU AAC clinical director Shannon Farho (top left), assistant professor in the department of communication sciences and disorders Daphne Hartzheim (top right), graduate student Mary Jane Vincent (bottom right), and graduate student Hannah Jumonville (bottom left) pose for a photo in front of Hatcher Hall on Oct. 9.

PHOTOS BY ABBY KIBLER

Students of the AAC at work on Oct. 9 in Hatcher Hall.

An AAC device representative shows a patient how to use his eyes to communicate with the device on Oct. 9 in Hatcher Hall.


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ENTERTAINMENT IT’S ELEKTRIC

page 9

Elektra Cosmetics elektrifies LA’s makeup scene with gentle, eco-friendly products.

BY ENJANAE’ TAYLOR @_queenet_ Sparkle at any event from festivals to gameday with glitter from Danielle Smith’s makeup business, Elektra Cosmetics. Smith moved to New Orleans from Michigan after visiting the city multiple times and growing tired of saying goodbye to its energetic atmosphere. The creativity of the New Orleans and the people there always made her feel free to fully express herself. “It’s one of those cities that is very magical, so I always felt at home here.” Smith said. “I love that I can look out my window on a random day and see a clown riding down the street on a bicycle with a pig in the back in a baby carrier.” “People are really themselves in this city.” Smith previously worked in health care as a certified orthodontist in Detroit and found it hard to keep the materials she needed to see her patients organized in her bag. Smith decided to take materials from her lab and construct an organizer that she could keep in her bag. Smith later realized that she had the same problem with her makeup bag. This inspired her to create a makeup organizer, the Beauty Butler, for

@ELEKTRA_COSMETICS VIA INSTAGRAM

which Smith just got a patent approved. Being a fan of burlesque and having friends who were performance artists, Smith noticed they all had problems organizing their makeup. Smith found the early adopters of the Beau-

ty Butler were people in the burlesque community. As Smith sold her makeup organizer at burlesque conventions, she would get placed in a small area of the venue since she didn’t occupy a lot of space. She often would get paired with another

business owner. At one particular event Smith got paired with someone special. “I actually got paired with the former owner of Elektra Cosmetics and we became friends,” Smith said. “Four years ago, almost to the day, she called me

and asked me if I wanted to buy a glitter company. She asked me if I wanted to buy Elektra.” Glitter is small and hard to organize, but it was a perfect match with Smith’s Beauty Butler. “I’m in the unofficial capital of glitter, so it made sense if I started glitter,” Smith said. When Smith bought Elektra Cosmetics it only had fine glitter in 12 colors and a liquid transformer. Elektra now has 30 fine glitter colors available along with an array of other products. After doing research, Smith noticed that people like glitter gels, so she started making Elektra Cosmetics’ bolt balms by hand blending colors. The bolt balm is a blend of chunky and fine glitters mixed in an aloe-gel base. The product can be used for your hair, highlights or as body glitter. There’s even a black and gold bolt balm for Saints’ games and tiger stripes for LSU fans. The bolt balms are Elektra’s most popular product and best seller. “One of the things at Elektra that is important to us is we want to inspire you to be unapologetically creative, and if that means sparkling up for game day or representing your Mardi Gras crew, then I think that’s awesome,” Smith said.

see ELEKTRA, page 10

FOOD & DRINK

Bites & Boards offers personalized charcuterie boards BY CHARLES JONES @saxycj After losing her husband and mother, Robyn Parker decided to pick up a hobby and teach herself something new: how to make a charcuterie board. Now remarried and surrounded by children and grandchildren, Parker turned her hobby into a successful. Bites & Boards delivers customized, beautifully arranged and delicious boards filled to the brim with meats, cheeses and fruits for any occasion. “I was 56 at the time, and my mother had passed away at 56,” Parker said. “I’m healthy, and I’m happy, and I want to bring some happiness to other people.” A Baton Rouge local since high school, Parker started making the boards in 2015 for her friends and family. She was encouraged by the responses she received. “I had so much fun doing them for us, for gatherings, game nights, grandkids,” Parker said. “Someone eventually said,

‘Why don’t you start doing it for money?’” After resounding success on a small scale, Parker took to social media, specifically Instagram, in late 2018 to advertise and spread the word, opening her business to all who desired a unique gift and a tasty board. Parker said she owes the success of her business to this free form of advertisement. “People always say they love the little hashtags and quotes I come up with” Parker said. “It really is the best form of advertisement because it is free, and so easily accessible.” It was Instagram, with its beautiful photos of the artistically designed boards, that caught the attention of 225 Magazine in August, when a feature on Parker’s business brought more eyes and rumbling stomachs to the page and to Parker’s doorstep. “The lady from 225 said, ‘I’ve got to introduce you to the Baton Rouge community.’ It really took

see CHARCUTERIE, page 10

ABOUT BITES & BOARDS INSTAGRAM @bitesandboards Email info@bitesandboards.com Phone (225) 933-8877

@BITESANDBOARDS VIA INSTAGRAM


Monday, October 28, 2019

page 10 ELEKTRA, from page 9 With glitter being so messy and sometimes difficult, Smith advocates safe glitter use and has learned some good tips to take off glitter, which often seems impossible. Tape, makeup wipes and lint rollers are ways Smith removes her glitter. “I’ve gone to an event where I’m glittery where I couldn’t be glittery and used a lint roller and a little face powder, and I was good to go,” Smith said. Smith also promoted using the correct glitter, saying, “friends don’t let friends wear craft glitter.” Smith wanted Elektra Cosmetics to be safe for the face as well as safe for the environment with her eco-friendly glitter line. The EKO glitters are bioplas-

CHARCUTERIE, from page 9 off from there,” Parker said. Parker not only crafts boards for people all across the city, but hosts workshops at local businesses like 3Tails Wine and Cheese, and does private parties as well. With the help of local butchers, dairy stores, and farmer’s markets, each workshop and board is custom-made and personalized to fit every occasion. “Jungle themes, animal themes, I did a Minecraft theme

tics made from plant-based films and manufactured from renewable resources. Along with her EKO glitters, Smith made lighting in a bottle, a cruelty free, vegan spray made in America. The product is used with sunscreen, moisturizer or hairspray to achieve an overall glow. Smith and her sparkle specialists also work to better the community through the Glitter Buffet experience, where you can request for yourself and guests to get makeup done at a party or special event. The Glitter Buffet works festivals and community events. After they finish a client, Elektra Cosmetics will collect tips and donate them to charity. “I just feel like teamwork makes the dream work.” Smith said. “It’s really amazing to have

the support of the community and be in the community too and employ people in the community.” Smith is interested in growing her business, recently launching a lip line with nine different colors that can be worn with or without glitter. She also wants to inspire makeup lovers to express themselves and have fun with her products. “I work a lot on our social media, and you know when I see someone post a look and tag Elektra, it’s so cool to see how they are using the product in a way I would have never dreamed of.” Smith said. “Even being able to walk around during Mardi Gras and see people in their costumes and recognize when they’re using Elektra Cosmetics for me is amazing.”

@ELEKTRA_COSMETICS VIA INSTAGRAM

for a birthday party once...I personalize it for every different event,” Parker said. Despite the success of Bites and Boards, Parker never planned to hire employees, or expand past herself and Instagram. For Parker, it’s more than just meat and cheese — it is a symbol of a bygone era, and a way of bringing people together. “I feel like we’ve lost the art of gathering together.” Parker said. “[the boards] at least, your hands are full of food, your talking

face-to-face, gathering around a grazing board.” The next time you need to get a gift for a loved one, forgo the usual flowers or gift cards for a personal, handmade, and delicious charcuterie board from Bites and Boards. Let Parker craft a work of art for your next gathering. “They are a unique and tasty gift that can be customized for the recipient. “Flowers are out, cheese is in.” Parker said.

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OPINION

page 11

Unborn children are voiceless victims of oppression in U.S. YOUR BEST BRETT BRETT LANDRY @bmlandry3 The U.S. Declaration of Independence states “We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In the brief history of the U.S., this resolute charter has been quoted countless times, serving as a battle cry for the civil rights movements that ultimately led to a miraculous transformation in the relationships of the different races, sexes and creeds of mankind. However, in the U.S., unborn children still are systematically oppressed and massacred. The justifications for this epidemic are, according to the anti-abortion community, empty, with many striking an uncanny resemblance to the bigoted arguments made during the 19th and 20th centuries. Possibly the most popular argument promoting abortion

is that the woman’s body is her own. Therefore, she should be allowed to terminate her own pregnancy, and to deny such a right denies the woman her basic civil freedoms. Such a conclusion is easy to make when the party who is being denied their basic rights to live are not even recognized. Roughly 91.1% of all abortions are performed during the first 13 weeks of pregnancy, according to the CDC. By then, the child has its own complex DNA structure, a nervous system, lungs, intestines, brains and a beating heart, all of which are vital components to any complex, living organism. The child also has fingerprints, reflexes, teeth, bones, finger and toe nails and even hair growing on its body. However, the systematic oversight of candid biology is not the first time the obvious signs of humanity are discounted for the benefit of a dominant group. Such a system was the crutch that supported the institution of slavery, especially American slavery, where one group of people was socially perceived as biologically superior, and thereby suppressed the humanity and rights of a separate population. In all fairness,

this comparison is not to equate those who support abortion with slave owners, but merely to compare the logic upholding each institution. Somehow in modern society, it has become commonly accepted that the child in the womb, a living human being, is inferior to the mother, rather than an equal life, and, therefore, can be killed disparagingly. Another common argument is that many women cannot afford the financial burden of bearing a child. In the event of an unplanned pregnancy, it is best to abort the child, rather than force the parent to take up the financial burden of raising the child. To clarify, the argument deems that money can override the innate value of human life. History has constantly focused a careful eye on the dangers of putting money before life, leading to the abduction of African prisoners of war into the Atlantic slave trade, Jews being sold out to the Nazis during the Holocaust or Judas Iscariot betraying Jesus Christ for pieces of silver. Even after debating the claims of the pro-abortion stance, the inevitable concluding argument is that abortion

might be immoral, but it is now an unfortunate reality of society and a civil right. In other words, much like the antebellum South, abortion is viewed similarly to the unfounded lost cause theory. Much like anyone with a moral compass would say that slavery is an unnecessary and cruel practice, so would many doctors say abortion is just as unnecessary. Dr. Everett Koop, M.D, former U.S. Surgeon General said: “Protection of the life of the mother as an excuse for an abortion is a smoke screen. In my 36 years in pediatric surgery I have never known of one instance where the child had to be aborted to save the mother’s life. . . . If, toward the end of the pregnancy complications arise that threaten the mother’s health, he will take the child by inducing labor or performing a Caesarean section. His intention is still to save the life of both the mother and the baby. The baby will be premature and perhaps immature depending on the length of gestation. Because it has suddenly been taken out of the protective womb, it may encounter threats to its survival. The baby is never willfully destroyed because the mother’s life is

in danger.” On the issue of slavery, Thomas Jefferson once said: “We have the wolf by the ears, and we can neither hold him, nor safely let him go. Justice is in one scale, and self-preservation in the other.” In the U.S., the debate of abortion is another wolf, held by the ears. It is undoubtedly true that to hold ourselves above the practice of abortion will be inconvenient to many. All abortions end in the death of an innocent human being, denied the right to life for no morally justifiable reason. Since the Supreme Court upheld abortion in Roe V. Wade, the Guttmacher Institute, a former branch of Planned Parenthood, records there have been over 50 million children lost to abortion in the one place where they should be the safest, the womb of their mother. The U.S. was intended to be a better place. Americans have the freedom and opportunity to stand up for the voiceless. It is high time the endowed and inalienable right to life are upheld in the land of the free.

Brett Landry is a 20-year-old mass communication senior from Bourg, Louisiana.

Let’s work to ensure abortion is utilized as seldom as possible LETTER TO THE EDITOR FREDERICK BELL @frederickbell_ To begin, I’m a cisgender male who will never have the full responsibility of abortion on my shoulders, but I do have the full responsibility to fight and use my voice when necessary. Now, more than ever, it is time to fight. Reproductive healthcare is being threatened and undermined around America today, and silence and inaction will be our greatest enemy. When I read arguments from my friend, Brett Landry, in his opinion piece “Unborn children are the voiceless victims of oppression, should be protected,” it raised concern. However, there is a silver lining, which presents itself as an opportunity for cooperation.

Let’s be clear: no one is proabortion. The terms “pro-life” and “pro-choice” are ultimately unhelpful in this notoriously difficult discussion when in reality, we could be on the same team. Our common cause could be to ensure that abortions are indeed safe, legal and rare. Now, I understand this standard may be unacceptable for many who believe as Landry does, and I get it. It’s a deeply held belief that goes back generations. But much like in a court of law, it is not about what you believe, it is what you can prove. It has been proven in study after study, that reducing access to abortion does not decrease abortion rates. It only increases the likelihood of unsafe procedures. If the objective is to push vulnerable women and people with reproductive organs from difficult circumstances into extremely difficult circumstances,

then this is the route to take. But if you want to be effective, it seems course correction is in order. Adequate, appropriate and robust sex education integrated into school curriculums could prove prudent. Let’s take California and Texas for example. In 1990, the teen birth rate for the two states were around 70 per 1,000 teens. Over time, California shifted toward evidencebased sex education, while Texas opted for abstinence-only education. By 2014, the teen birth rate in Texas was nearly 40 per 1,000 teens, while California’s was 21.1 per 1,000. Properly educating young people about the responsibility of reproduction, can ensure we reach our shared target: limiting unintended pregnancies, and therefore, abortions. We also have to recognize the repercussions of criminalizing

abortion and the effect it would have on poor people and particularly poor people of color, the two groups most likely in need of extensive reproductive care. Early studies show that women who died as a result of shadow abortions were typically black. We know black women will be forced back into these precarious situations, while privileged women of wealth will always have access to safer abortions. This is an economic and justice issue, and we have to get it right because lives are on the line. I know I probably won’t change your mind on abortion being a sin akin to slavery or the Holocaust, but I hope to change your approach to it. We all must be more tactful, and in doing so, we can find alignment. We know restricting access is futile and, in many cases, illegal. Instead of decrying and shaming women for it, let’s work to

Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD Caleb Greene Hailey Auglair Baily Chauvin Rachel Mipro Ashlon Lusk

Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Deputy News Editor Opinion Editor

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

uplift them with words, action and policy. In the end, these are two men arguing over the bodily autonomy of half the country. Women are the ones who have to deal with the full weight of this decision, hopefully in consultation with their family, faith leaders and doctor. But no one, I repeat no one, who is a serious participant in this debate is gleeful about the gut-wrenching choice presented to women and those who love them. Ensconced by Roe v. Wade and bolstered by the ideas of liberty and privacy enunciated in the 14th Amendment, abortion is the law of the land. Let’s work together to ensure it’s utilized as seldom as possible.

Frederick Bell is a former Reveille opinion columnist and 21-year-old political economy senior at Tulane University.

Quote of the Week “If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, you must be the one to write it.”

Toni Morrison Novelist 1931 —2019


Monday, October 28, 2019

page 12

Sex education should be required in U.S. public schools GABBIN WITH GABBY GABRIELLE MARTINEZ

@gobbymatinez Adolescents have the right to learn about their own anatomy, health and hygiene. The U.S. education system is failing them. Sex education should be mandatory and a continuous program in every public school. Yet, only 24 states and the District of Columbia currently require sex education. This effectively means that K-12 students in Louisiana receive no form of sex education other than spiels about abstinence. Meanwhile, same-age students in California are required to learn about healthy intercourse and even the dangers of AIDS and HIV. The teen birth rate in Louisiana is 30.6 per 1000, which is 10.3 more than the national average and a staggering 13.6 more than California, according to the U.S. Department of Health and HUman Services. Not only are these teen mothers less likely to complete their education, but they also face risks of poverty. Making the choice of abstinence until marriage is a vi-

able and personal decision when made by the individual it pertains to. However,American public schools giving students abstinence-only sex education is dangerous. While these programs rarely directly mention religion, obvious undertones always seem to seep through with the teachings, such as denouncing birth control contraceptives and even banning condom demonstrations. Not to mention, these strict no-sex lessons exclude information on sexual preferences beyond the bounds of heterosexuality and life-long monogamy. Abstinence-only education creates a trauma-inducing shame on young children, especially those who fall victim to sexual assault. Harshly labeling pre-marital sex as wrong and immoral in children’s minds only further insights future slutshaming and judgment, both inwards and outwards, specifically in young girls. Without reliable sex education system in place, we see children take advice from the only other places they’re exposed to intercourse: social media, movies, music and online pornography. These sources set unrealistic expectations and form not only a warped

perception of actual sex, but also consent. Rape and sexual assault are not unfamiliar to many American college campuses. According to the Association of American Universities (AAU), 23.1% of female and 5.4% of male undergraduate students had experienced sexual assault through physical force. Sex education adds a chance to inform students about rape culture and prevention while defining the matter altogether. Some parents argue against the graphicness sex education courses depict sex and sexually transmitted diseases, but isn’t this exactly what we need? Adolescents need to know that STDs are real and on-the-rise. STDs are at the highest they’ve ever been and are a major current public health concern. People ages 15-24 account for nearly 50% of all new STDs, according to dosomething.org. Another common argument is that sex-ed “promotes” sex and it isn’t the school’s place to teach on this matter. In reality, teenagers are going to have sex anyway. Why don’t we let schools do what they’re supposed to do: educate and prepare the students for the real world. A child’s morality and

decision-making, on the other hand, should be for the parents to teach. The issue of public sex education should not be a matter of parental decisions or individual states. Children deserve an equal opportunity to learn

the truth behind their reproductive rights no ter which county line live behind.

own matthey

Gabrielle Martinez is an 18-yearold mass communication freshman from Gonzales, Louisiana.

ALYSSA BERRY / The Reveille

A student holds a condom outside of Hodges Hall on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019.

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